There are many reasons why your child’s attendance at school may decline, each child is an individual and the barriers preventing them from attending are personal to them. The strategies listed may support your child’s attendance improving. When attendance concerns are identified early, often smaller changes are needed to remove the barriers and return the child or young person to regular attendance.
Routines
Think about bedtime routines (regardless of the age of your child), do they have time away from tablets, phones etc for 30 minutes before bed, do they go to bed at a time that allows them to get enough sleep.
|
Your child’s age |
Recommended sleep time in 24 hours |
|---|---|
|
Children 3 to 5 |
10 to 13 hours including naps |
|
Children 6 to 12 |
9 to 12 hours |
|
Teenagers 13 to 18 |
8 to 10 hours |
Morning routines
How busy/stressful is the morning routine? Can you make changes to make the mornings easier? Think about who goes in the bathroom when, can bags be packed the night before, lunch boxes be cleaned the night before with non-perishable parts added the night before, uniform laid out ready for the morning. Not allowing TV or tablets until ready for school, the quicker they get ready the more they can watch.
Think about the journey time, children often find arriving to school late stressful, not only because parents/careers may be stressed, arriving in class late can be unsettling and impact on their learning, they miss time in the playground with their friends giving them a chance to catch up before school starts.
Patterns
Is there a pattern to the absence? Does this link to a particular subject at school? Particular days? Does your child do any after school clubs or activities that make them tired for the next day?
What should I do?
The first step is to try an understand the issue and then seek appropriate support. Often meeting with your child’s form teacher/class teacher is a good first step. Working together with the school to create a personalised plan of support, often allowing your child to stay home will make returning to regular attendance more difficult. It is important to be honest and open with the school in these meetings.
If your child is experiencing illnesses on a regular basis, you should make an appointment with the doctor in case there is an underlying medical condition. If your child has a medical condition, ensure you work with the school and the school nurse service to create a health plan for your child.
If you believe your child is suffering from anxiety or depression, please seek medical advice.
If you are invited into a meeting to discuss concerns regarding your child’s attendance, do not ignore the letters or the meeting. The letters may come from the school, Bromley EWS or a consultant or independent attendance service used by the school (as not all schools use Bromley EWS).
Support available
Bromley Y provides support for both young people and parents/carers. For young people they provide emotional support, to listen, guide and help them to feel happier and able to cope with life’s challenges. Providing parents and carers with practical tips and resources to help children and young people in their care.
Bromley’s Children’s Project is a service supporting families living in Bromley to create a safe, secure, and happy environment for all children, offering friendly, non-judgemental 1:1 family support, helping parents/carers to effect positive change in your children.
IASS provides free, impartial, confidential information, advice and support about special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) for children and young people up to age 25, and their parents and carers.
Young minds works with parents and young people to support young people’s mental health